


Other Planets Have Winters Too

by die_traumerei



Category: Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Christmas, Fluff and Angst, Future Fic, M/M, bucky barnes: the winter soldier-compliant, the Sacred Reznor - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-14
Updated: 2015-12-14
Packaged: 2018-05-06 19:17:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5427578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/die_traumerei/pseuds/die_traumerei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Christmas night, far into the future, for Steve and Bucky. (And The Sacred Reznor.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Other Planets Have Winters Too

**Author's Note:**

> OH MY GOD THE SACRED REZNOR HAS HIS OWN CHARACTER TAG this is the best.
> 
> Set a couple decades after Bucky Barnes: The Winter Soldier because that was the most gorgeous comic and I am obsessed with it. (And with very light spoilers for later issues. And the first one, I guess.) Steve and Bucky celebrate Christmas, because I just wanted a story that was basically Bucky warm and well-fed and loved. I am a simple woman with simple pleasures.

_Deep below the earth, the Winter Soldier lies dreaming._

_It is a long, cold winter; the kind of winter that wins wars. The Asset is not required; the frozen earth and air so cold it makes the trees crack will do what needs to be done._

_Cold storage above the Arctic Circle is cheap; far cheaper than food, entertainment, anything a person would need. The Asset spends these months frozen and asleep._

_And he dreams: a vision, a possible future._

 

“Steve, for God's sake, the fire tends itself. That's the _point_ of this  model.”

“It's not tending itself well enough,” Steve said, fussing with the pile of wood a little more. “There, perfect.”

Needless to say, not one thing had changed, but Bucky merely rolled his eyes and kept his peace. “C'mere.”

“You warm enough?” Steve asked, brow furrowing. “It's freezing out.”

“Yes, that's why I wanted to go to a _warm_ continent. Or planet. Or whatever. But _someone_ overruled me.” Bucky graciously allowed Steve to tuck a thick blanket around his shoulders, then held one side out. “ Come _here_.”

“Y'don't get this in the middle of the tropics,” Steve pointed out, cuddling under the huge blanket with Bucky. 

“Yeah, I get you mostly-naked instead.”

“That can be arranged too...” Steve laughed at the look Bucky gave him. “Come on, it's nice. Are you warm enough?” He rubbed his hand up and down Bucky's back briskly, and pulled him into his arms.

“Of course I am. We _both_ have enhanced metabolisms.”

“And you still feel the cold,” Steve said. “Seriously. I'll build the fire up. Or make hot chocolate. Or coffee.”

Bucky smiled, and kissed Steve softly. “I'm fine. Really. What's got into you?”

“Other than not seeing my lover for months on end? And it's Christmas? Well, Christmas on Earth,” Steve amended.

“We're _from_ Earth, so it's Christmas.” Bucky rested his head on Steve's shoulder, and grinned when The Sacred Reznor came into the room and flopped over at their feet with a contented 'whmph'.

“Y'know, I thought we had planned to get a dog.”

“When you're chained up on another planet and have to free yourself _and_ a psychic animal by smuggling it under your coat, you can arrange for it to be a dog,” Bucky said peaceably.  The argument was decades old now, and as comfortable as an old sweater. Come of think of it, the ratty old cardigan he was currently sporting was probably about the same age as this particular argument.

“Geez, way to make a guy feel bad,” Steve muttered.

“Besides, he's kinda cute. In an aardvark-y sort of way.”

“ _You're_ kinda cute,” Steve said. “He smells funny.”

“So do you. And I still keep you around. Even though you think I'm only _kinda_ cute.”

“Well, you are.” Steve kissed Bucky's neck. “You hungry? We still got plenty of cake.”

Bucky groaned. “Steve, I am so full.  _So_ full.” 

“You sure?” Steve wheedled, and kissed Bucky's ear. “It's your favorite. Here.” He twisted around and grabbed the plate he'd brought in earlier, scooping up a fork-ful of the sweet stuff. “Just a taste.”

Bucky opened his mouth, and it  _was_ really good. He closed his eyes and moaned a little, because, okay, it was  _really_ good.

Steve laughed, and then soft lips covered Bucky's, and he must have had a bite too, since his mouth was spicy-sweet, his kisses sugary. Bucky gave another happy little moan, and chased Steve's mouth down, kissing him properly.

They paused for breath, and for the pleasure of curling up together under a big blanket, an alien fire dancing before them. Bucky had arranged days ago to pick Steve up, show him a little of the universe, and so he had.

“Can you imagine?” Steve asked softly, holding Bucky just a little closer. “Two kids from Brooklyn, born just after the first world war. And now it's a hundred and thirty years later, and we're on another planet.”

“Remember how we used to pretend to stargaze, even though we couldn't see much at all?”

Steve nodded.

“Even if we'd been able to see the whole night sky, we wouldn't have seen the planet we're on now,” Bucky said softly, his hand tightening around the hard lines of Steve's waist. They were well over a hundred years old each, going by time since birth. They were nearing sixty, going by years awake. And they each looked, at worst, a well-preserved forty. Who the hell could have guessed?

“And now you're bringing peace to the galaxy,” Steve said fondly.

“Bit by bit. I'll settle for a few planets,” Bucky said.

“I won't.” Steve kissed him. “You're gonna do it. You're gonna make everything better, for everyone.”

Bucky just smiled, and leaned his forehead against Steve's. “And you  _do_ make it better on Earth. Home.”

Steve flushed. “I have a lotta help.”

“Uh huh.” Bucky closed his eyes, and leaned in. “Think Earth can get by without you for a little?”

“Reckon so. Why?”

“Want you here with me.” Bucky wrapped his arms around Steve, the body he'd known for almost as long as he was alive. “I miss you. I miss exploring with you. Miss you giving me a migraine with your recklessness, even. Stay out here with me? Just for awhile?”

“Oh, Buck.” Steve had sort of melted in Bucky's arms, and was pressing kisses against his neck. “I'll stay, of course I will. Y'only had to ask.”

“We had stuff to get done. But now we deserve a reward.”

“You deserve everything you want,” Steve said, a little hotly, and Bucky laughed.

“My ledger'd disagree. But...a respite. A respite would be nice.” He smiled. “As much as we can get one, the way trouble follows us.”

Steve slipped his hand around Bucky's, thumb rubbing the bones of his wrist so gently. Bucky had broken a tiny bone there weeks ago; it would have healed up by now even if he'd had regular human biology, but of course Steve had fussed when he'd found out, and he fussed now. “Gonna keep you safe.”

“Gonna keep each other safe,” Bucky corrected, and grinned at Steve's huff. “Suck it, asshole. We promised.”

“Yeah, yeah.” They had. They both took lovers as they liked – together and apart – but that promise, made beneath Earth's own sun on a beautiful spring day, surrounded by their found family, _that_ kept them bound through it all. Like they weren't already, but it had been a fun party.

Bucky curled up in Steve's arms a little closer, The Sacred Reznor snorted happily at his feet, lost in aardvark dreams. Steve may have successfully argued for a stupid cold planet, but it was warm before the fire. He had a full belly, and was...happy. After all these years, he was happy.

“Love you,” Steve murmured, and pressed a kiss to Bucky's temple, where the first threads of silver were just starting to show.

“Love you,” Bucky said, and made himself a little more comfortable, settling against Steve.

 

_Deep beneath the sea, Captain America sleeps. Frozen, he dreams of a future, he dreams of the man he saw die. He is asleep, and dead, and alive, all at once. And he lies dreaming beneath the ice._

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you as ever for your comments and kudos!
> 
> dietraumerei.tumblr.com


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